BizTOURISM
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When I shot the ‘Like a Cowboy’ video in Tucson earlier this year, I was just blown away by how beautiful it is and how much the city has to offer. Now I go back there every chance I get. – Randy Houser Country Music Artist
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Cooper said she hopes that Houser’s music video will ignite a strong emotional connection with millions of country music fans and inspire them to explore the unique experiences that Tucson offers as a travel destination. In addition to the filming at Old Tucson, several other local businesses benefited from production. Cook & Company Signmakers produced the video’s prominent “Welcome to Tucson” sign, designed by Visit Tucson’s marketing department. The Steven Meckler Photography studio served as the soundstage for vocal track recordings. The cast and crew were treated to a catered lunch from El Güero Canelo, starring the restaurant’s popular Sonoran hot dog. And Casino del Sol Resort hosted a VIP meet and greet and private poolside concert for local Houser fans. “For the 1800s, there’s no place like Old Tucson,” said the video’s producer and co-star William Shockley. “There’s history that you just can’t find anywhere else.” Hundreds of classic films and TV shows have been made at Old Tucson, including “Tombstone” and the beloved John Wayne flicks “Rio Bravo” and “McLintock!” The video highlights what movie producers already know – Tucson is a great place to film. The area is dotted with locations made famous onscreen. The foothills landscape plays as much of a role as David Duchovny in the offbeat coming-of-age film, “Goats.” Head north to find locations used in “Three Kings” and south for views found in “The Hangover Part III” or Tim Roth’s upcoming borderlands film, “600 Millas.” The university area was the setting of “Revenge of the Nerds,” and the ’50s noir film, “A Kiss Before Dying” – just to name a few of the films that helped put Tucson on the cinematic map. Always versatile, Tucson has been portrayed as Tijuana, Texas, Kuwait and even 1970s Saigon. The Tucson Film Office’s most requested location – the airplane “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base – was even “relocated” onscreen to Washington D.C., for Michael Bay’s second “Transformers” film.
Biz
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Winter 2015
www.BizTucson.com